Savour the Scent

For Joshua Smith, perfume was always about more than the finishing touches of an outfit. After studying industrial design at the University of Alberta, he became interested in how scent can influence our moods, emotions, and even our sense of well-being. What began as a curiosity led to a passion for fragrance and a new career path. “I started the brand to show appreciation for the senses; an appreciation of memories, of slowing down, and enjoying the world around us,” Smith recalls. He founded the independent small-batch fragrance brand Libertine Fragrance, recently rebranded to Paraphrase Perfume, and has been operating in the Edmonton area for 11 years

Rather than following traditional industry formulas, Smith approaches perfumery from a different perspective based on intuition, slow, small-batch creation, and a deep appreciation for the sensory experience. With under a dozen scent options, Paraphrase creates hand-made, gender-neutral fragrances as Smith encourages users to wear whatever scents to which they are drawn—whether that is one of their woody, smoky scents like Soft Woods, or their newest addition, Fruit Thieves that exhibits tart, passionfruit notes. “I find a lot of fruity perfumes to lean too far into the candied realm,” Smith says. “Fruit Thieves is a great expression of a juicy, tart, and realistic tropical fruit.” As far as Smith’s other favourite scent profiles, he finds himself drawn to the woods-adjacent scents that bring up memories of his past career in forestry.

All scents by Paraphrase are carefully blended to balance lightness with depth as well as floral and woody aromas. In addition to the Eau de Parfum, the company also makes incense sticks and limited edition perfume oils. Both additions allow the user to take part in a more intentional scent ritual, whether it’s by sitting down to enjoy the slow burn of the incense, or noticing the sensual experience of gliding the oil roller ball across the skin.

So much of the vision behind the Paraphrase brand gives authority and choice back to the wearer. “I think perfume itself has no gender and my hope is that people wear whatever they want,” Smith remarks. He believes that marketing perfumes and fragrances through strict gendered lines doesn’t allow the user to explore scents with an open mind. Without those restrictions, customers are welcome to try something new while focusing on how it makes them feel. At its core, Paraphrase is not just a luxury fragrance brand, but an invitation to experience scent on your own terms.